Clear The Mental Clutter

Would you like to make an attitude adjustment with high payoff, a clearer mind, and reduced stress?  Whether you're overwhelmed by unfocused mental activity, have become sidetracked by emotional concerns, or simply want to improve your intellectual performance, the following tips will help you think, work, and feel better.

Plan worry time.  When you catch your mind wandering into worry, postpone the thoughts until later.  Schedule yourself a time to think about that worry; jot it down if you must, with titles like: "What to do about...."

Sort your worries into those that are real and those that may never happen.  For those that may never happen, promise to worry about them only when and if they happen.  To lessen the anxiety during the waiting time, use the old principle:  "What's the worst thing that can happen to me?"  "Will I survive?"  "How will I cope?"

For real worries, outline steps to prevent the situation, correct the problem, or minimize the impact.  Then take action toward a resolution.

Resolve ongoing conflict with others.  When we find ourselves in conflict with another person, we have four choices.  The issue is deciding on the most expedient choice for any particular situation.

• Accommodation means giving in to the other person.
• Compromise involves giving up some of your goals and wants to reach a mutually satisfying solution. 
• Overpowering others insists on a certain course of action, even if angering others. 
• Resolving the issue develops new alternatives so everyone reaches their goals and feels good about the situation.

On occasion, any of these actions or reactions are appropriate.  Choose the best action or reaction.  Then let go of the situation. 

Refuse to over commit yourself.  If you're tempted to take on more than you can realistically handle, ask yourself these two questions: 

• "Does this activity fit my goals and values?" 

• "Why am I being asked to do this task-because no one else has the expertise or because no one else will say 'yes'?"  If you don't like the answers to these questions, pass up the "opportunity."

If you have difficulty getting "no" out of your mouth when someone seems to have a real need and a good cause, think of the "no" in a positive way:  Focus the conversation on what you have decided to commit to rather than on what you have decided not to commit to.

Concentrate; don't invite interruptions.  You may be unintentionally inviting interruptions that break your concentration.  Even an amused facial expression will lure people to your desk to strike up a conversation.  

Do you have "toys" and gadgets on your desk that people feel compelled to touch as they pass? 

Do you keep several projects within sight on your desk so that you're tempted to go from one to the other randomly?

Do you stop to take calls while you're trying to do creative work?  Do you ask other people for opinions and then think about your rebuttal rather than listen to their response? 

Contrary to what many people claim, you cannot do two things at once as well as concentrating on one task until it's complete.

Create a mental oasis for creative thinking/work.  Albert Einstein once stated,  "Imagination is more important than knowledge."  However, you cannot write the Great American Movie, your annual "accomplishment" report, or a $10 million client proposal without thinking space.  For your creative projects, find a non-routine environment.

Go to a cabin or resort in the mountains or rent a hotel room.  Even closer, less exotic places will do:  your backyard patio, the conference room down the hall, a friend's office, the neighborhood park, or the library.  The idea is to see different scenery so that routine tasks and paperwork can't nag at you from the corner of your eye.

Move from Left-Brain to Right-Brain Activities.  Left-brain activities include tasks such as fact gathering, reading technical information, writing a report.  Right-brain activities include creating visuals to use in a presentation, giving constructive feedback to a boss, planning a marketing strategy to win over a prospective client.

Most of us have a preference for one brain dominance.  Striking a balance between both kinds of activities can produce the most creative results and satisfying emotion, not to mention increased energy and motivation.

Think Rationally.  Are the goals, pace, and schedules you've set for yourself reasonable?  Even possible? 

Make an accurate assessment of what you can do, and download or postpone the rest.  Keeping “unaccomplishable” duties dangling in front of you will ensure that you never feel the satisfaction of accomplishment and always feel the frustration of being overwhelmed.

When the mental clutter spinning around your head prevents you from working or thinking effectively, remember these tips.  Ridding yourself of emotional, irrational, and even legitimate distractions will help you bypass mental roadblocks to achieve maximum productivity.